Retiring J-D Band Director Leads Jazz EnsembleJamesville-DeWitt High School Band Director Ronald Nuzzo is retiring from the district where he has taught for 49 years. He estimates he's taught more than 2,000 students. "The kids inspire me with their passion, and you develop a rapport with them through music," he said. "I ask them ‘how does this piece make you feel...does it give you goosebumps?’ They think I’m crazy at first, but then they get it." Former students came back to visit him at a farewell concert held at the end of May. Others visited him at another concert (shown here) when he lead the high school's jazz ensemble at an outdoor concert on June 6.

Jamesville-DeWitt High School Band Director Ronald Nuzzo led his students in a concert just like he has done many times during the last 49 years.

As they played “What I Did for Love,” everyone was treated to a slide show of photos featuring Nuzzo taken from yearbooks spanning the last five decades.

Everyone knew the band director’s farewell concert at the high school at the end of May would be emotional, but it really hit Nuzzo when he walked into a surprise reception that included 15 former students.

Among the returning students were former NBA player Danny Schayes and jazz player Walt Weiskopf, who played with Steely Dan.

“I can’t tell you how emotional is was for me,” said Nuzzo, 70, who is retiring after 49 years with the district. “I just couldn’t believe it.”

Nuzzo started as a student teacher at J-D in 1961; becoming full time in 1962. He estimates he has taught more than 2,000 students.

Ron Nuzzo

Age: 70.

Family: Has two grown children; Andrea, 45; and Steven, 42, and a 17-year-old daughter, Cara, who will graduate from Fayetteville-Manlius High School this month.

In his free time: He collects autographs, always trying to go backstage to get one. He has three autographed photos of Louis Armstrong among his collection. He also loves to watch sports; he’s a Yankees, New York Giants and Steelers fan. He also likes to sail.

His favorites in music: Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins and Wynton Marsalis, among others.

Nuzzo will be missed by his students and colleagues, including J-D Superintendent Alice Kendrick, who played bassoon in his band in the early ‘60s. “He had a tremendous love for teaching and enthusiasm for music that’s been consistent over the years,” Kendrick said.

Danny Schayes, who played the tuba and trumpet at J-D in the late 1970s, always admired Nuzzo for inspiring in him a lifelong love for music. Danny is the son of “Dolph” Schayes, a former professional basketball player and coach; he played for the Syracuse Nationals, among other teams.

“(Danny) worshiped Mr. Nuzzo,” said Naomi Schayes, Danny Schayes’ mother. Her son was not available for an interview. “He told me he wouldn’t miss this concert for anything. He admired Mr. Nuzzo because he took care of all the kids, and he was never too busy to talk to you.”

Nuzzo, who lives in Manlius, is the high school’s band director, and also teaches music theory. He also conducts the Pep Band, Brass and Jazz Ensembles and the Woodwind Quintet, as well as accompanying the musical and In Achord choir.

When Nuzzo first came to J-D, he had 80 or 90 students in band; that’s down to about 65 now but overall school enrollment is lower now, he said.

He remembers that students in the ‘60s and ‘70s were more unruly than today. “There were more wiseguys then, but now the kids really pay attention and there aren’t any behavior problems,” he said.

Once a student took a tape out of a reel-to-reel player and wound it around the whole room to see if the music would still play — which it did, he said.

Nuzzo said he’s dismayed at recent talk of cutting instrumental and band programs around the region.

“Music touches everybody, and when you cut it, kids don’t have that outlet,” he said. “Band also helps the kids who aren’t that social. It’s like a team sport for them, and they learn about discipline.”

The J-D program stayed intact, but Nuzzo would have had to travel between the middle and high schools next year, which he didn’t want to do.

A trumpet player in high school, Nuzzo always wanted to be involved in music professionally. But his family had other ideas. Every summer, he helped his dad and two brothers in the family’s building supply business. His dad wanted him to take over the business when he graduated from Central High School in Syracuse in 1958, but his grandfather convinced his dad Ron should pursue music.

Nuzzo studied to be a band director at Syracuse University, but his real desire was to be a professional trumpet player. He spent two summers in New York City playing in bands and working as a wine steward at the Hotel Dixie, but soon he realized it wouldn’t work. “I was going nowhere there,” he said.

A friend called him about the job opening at J-D, and he interviewed and got the job the same day. Meanwhile, he played in wedding bands, with Stan Colella and at the Three Rivers Inn with Sammy Davis Jr. and Tony Bennett. He also played at the Shrine Circus.

Nuzzo can play many instruments, although trumpet is his specialty.

After joining J-D, Nuzzo fell in love with teaching.

“The kids inspire me with their passion, and you develop a rapport with them through music,” he said. “I ask them ‘how does this piece make you feel ... does it give you goosebumps?’ They think I’m crazy at first, but then they get it.”

Nuzzo said he loves seeing the progress in kids.

“I love to hear everybody playing together, and hear the end result,” he said. “And I just love to conduct. I love the movement, and the feeling of controlling everybody at the same time.

“My dream would be to conduct Beethoven’s 7th Symphony, because I just love it,” he said.

As a teacher, Nuzzo said it’s important to have a sense of humor.

“I also believe in always admitting my mistakes,” he said. “It’s very important that the kids see you as a human being. And they have so much academic pressure that I like for them to come here and have fun and relax while they’re playing.”

Annika Carbacio, a 2009 J-D graduate now at Le Moyne, heard Nuzzo was retiring and sent him a card.

“I played saxophone, and he was just fantastic,” Carbacio said. “You can see his passion, and how much he loves teaching high school kids. And he can remember the kids he taught 30 years ago.

“He made an impression on me because he’s very motivating,” she said, “and he takes the time to get to know his students. I know he’ll be missed.”